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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Editor's note: CNN.com will be streaming live from beginning to end the rescue attempts at a Chilean mine where 33 men have been trapped since August 5. Also, watch live coverage on CNN TV. Click here for full coverage on the Chile mine disaster.

[Updated at 12:23 a.m. ET] A little more about the second rescued miner, Mario Sepulveda: After he exited the rescue capsule, he reached into a large yellow bag and handed out what appeared to be rocks to officials and rescue workers.

Sepulveda cracked jokes in his first moments above ground and led a crowd in a cheer for Chile. As the 40-year-old was hauled away on his stretcher for medical evaluation, he asked his wife, "How's the dog?"

[Updated at 12:16 a.m. ET] A smiling and jubliant Mario Sepulveda - the second rescued miner - embraced his wife and Chile's president, among many others, upon leaving the rescue capsule.

At one point, he ran to a group of people who had been cordoned off from the immediate rescue area and cheered his rescue with them.

He waved, grinned and pointed to people as he was taken into a nearby triage center for his medical checkup.

[Updated at 12:09 a.m. ET Wednesday] A second miner, Mario Sepulveda, has been lifted out of the rescue shaft.

[Updated at 11:58 p.m. ET] The wife of Mario Sepulveda - who is in the process of being the second miner to be rescued - is being escorted to the area where the rescue capsule will surface.

[Updated at 11:55 p.m. ET] The rescue of the second miner has begun. The rescue capsule, carrying miner Mario Sepulveda, 40, is being lifted to the surface.

If the first rescue is any indication, it may take a little more than 15 minutes to bring Sepulveda up.

[Updated at 11:52 p.m. ET] Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, who is at the rescue site on the surface, reacts to the safe rescue of the first of 33 miners: "We had promised to look until we found them. We can all feel proud to be Chilean."

[Updated at 11:45 p.m. ET] The capsule - carrying rescuer Roberto Rios - has been lowered into the miners' refuge. Rios is now the second rescuer in the refuge, where 32 miners still are waiting for their trip to the surface. The first rescued miner - Florencio Avalos - was brought to the surface more than a half-hour ago.

Video of Avalos' arrival on the surface - and the greeting that his wife, Chile's president and others gave him - is now available.

[Updated at 11:30 p.m. ET] Forget about waiting to be examined at the triage center before greeting family members. When rescued miner Florencio Avalos left the capsule more than 15 minutes ago, his wife was among those who embraced him before he was stretchered away.

Avalos served as a cameraman during his time in the refuge, filming videos of the miners to be sent up to rescuers and relatives at the surface. His brother, Renan Avalos, is among the 32 miners still in the mine.

[Updated at 11:28 p.m. ET] The descent of the second rescuer, Roberto Rios, has begun, 17 minutes after the first miner, Florencio Avalos, was rescued.

[Updated at 11:24 p.m. ET] With one miner out and 32 to go, a second rescuer, Roberto Rios, will be lowered into the miners' refuge. Workers are helping Rios into the capsule - which can carry only one person at a time - right now.

Rios presumably will help the rescuer who already is in the refuge, Manuel Gonzalez, assess the remaining miners and manage the rest of the rescue process.

[Updated at 11:13 p.m. ET] Rescuers clap and cheer as the first miner to be rescued, Florencio Avalos, 31, leaves the capsule and steps onto the surface for the first time in about 68 days. After hugging several people, he is put on a stretcher and wheeled into a nearby triage center.

[Updated at 11:11 p.m. ET] The first of 33 miners who were trapped in the mine more than two months ago has been rescued.

The rescue capsule carrying Florencio Avalos reached the surface about 16 minutes after the ascent from the miners' refuge 2,300 feet below the surface began. Avalos is the first miner to be rescued.

[Updated at 10:55 p.m. ET] The first attempt to bring up one of the 33 trapped miners has begun. The capsule - carrying 31-year-old Florencio Avalos - is being lifted to the surface. The trip may take less than 15 minutes.

[Updated at 10:53 p.m. ET] The first miner - believed to be 31-year-old Florencio Avalos - is in the capsule. We're waiting for the lifting to begin.

[Updated at 10:47 p.m. ET] We're still waiting for the first miner to be lifted up in the capsule, which entered the miners' refuge along with a rescue worker about 12 minutes ago. Here's what will happen to the miners once they are lifted out one-by-one, according to CNN's Gary Tuchman:

As a miner is being taken to the surface, his family will be waiting in a tent near the rescue site on the surface. When the capsule reaches the surface, the miner will be taken to a temporary triage center so medical personnel can check him. Then, both the miner and his family will be taken to a nearby building for a brief reunion. After the reunion, the miner will be flown by helicopter to a medical center.

[Updated at 10:38 p.m. ET] Some of the trapped miners hugged rescue worker Manuel Gonzalez after he exited the capsule that took down him 2,300 feet from the surface to the miners' refuge, video from inside the refuge shows.

Gonzalez is now talking to the miners. One of the miners - expected to be 31-year-old Florencio Avalos - will soon be put inside the capsule so he can be lifted out.

[Updated at 10:19 p.m. ET] The capsule - with rescue worker Manuel Gonzalez inside – has been lowered into the rescue shaft. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and rescuers clapped and wished Gonzalez good luck as his journey began.

The plan is to lower Gonzalez into the miners' refuge, about 2,300 feet below the surface, and then have him prepare one of the 33 trapped miners to be raised to the surface.

Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne has said he hoped at least one miner will be brought to the surface by midnight local time, which would be 11 p.m. ET.

To get an idea of the path that the 924-pound rescue capsule will take, check out this interactive graphic, which also includes information about each of the 33 trapped miners. It will be updated throughout the rescue to reflect which miners have been lifted to the surface.

[Updated at 10:12 p.m. ET] Rescue worker Manuel Gonzalez has been entering and exiting the capsule and making adjustments inside as preparations to lower him into the rescue shaft appear to be under way. Chile's president was seen speaking to him shortly before these preparations began.

[Updated at 10:07 p.m. ET] Repairs appear to have been made to the rescue capsule after its access door was damaged during a test run, and another test appears to be under way. In fact, the capsule already is being taken back out of the rescue shaft.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has gone to the area of the rescue shaft, possibly indicating that a rescuer will be lowered into the capsule soon, CNN's Karl Penhaul reports.

[Updated at 9:50 p.m. ET] A rescue official has told Chilean state TV that the capsule's access door was damaged during a test in which the capsule was lowered into the rescue shaft.

"There was some small damage to the access door, which is what they are fixing right now," Jorge Sougarret told TVN. "Now they will regulate the tension so they can give the wheel more tension, and obviously solve the issue with the door."

[Updated at 9:39 p.m. ET] Thousands of Chileans have gathered in the town square of Copiapo, Chile, not far from the mine, to watch live video of the rescue efforts on an enormous projection screen, CNN's Sean O'Key reports.

[Updated at 9:23 p.m. ET] Here is video of the capsule being lowered into the rescue shaft as part of the final test before the miners' rescue begins. As noted below, the test began at 8:33 p.m. ET.

[Updated at 9:12 p.m. ET] TVN, Chilean state TV, has released the preliminary order in which the miners will be lifted to the surface. The order will be finalized when rescuers are lowered into the refuge. The preliminary order, according to TVN, is as follows:

[Updated at 8:33 p.m. ET] The capsule has been lowered - unoccupied - into the rescue shaft as part of final tests before the miners' rescue begins.

After the tests, the capsule will lower rescue personnel to the miners' refuge about 2,300 feet below the surface, one at a time. Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne has said he hopes at least one miner will be brought to the surface by the end of the day.

[Updated at 8:24 p.m. ET] The capsule is dangling above the rescue shaft, and we're awaiting word on when a rescuer will be lowered into the miners' refuge. Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne had said tests would be done before the rescue effort will begin.

[Updated at 8:14 p.m. ET] Less than an hour to go before rescuers may begin lowering fellow rescuers to the miners' refuge via the capsule that will be used to lift the miners to the surface, according to a timeline given earlier by Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne.

The rescue capsule was put upright at about 7:50 p.m. ET Tuesday. Some rescuers are expected to be lowered to the miners

[Updated at 7:42 p.m. ET] At least another 80 minutes to go before rescuers may start to lower the rescue capsule to the miners, according to a timeline given earlier by Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne.

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses the health risks that the miners face during and after their rescue, including issues such as the condition of their lungs and changes in pressure.

[Updated at 7:31 p.m. ET] CNN's Brian Todd tells us about Florencio Avalos, who is expected to be the first miner who will be brought to the surface: